As is known by those in the art, radar systems have been developed for various applications associated with vehicles, such as automobiles and boats. A radar system mounted on a vehicle detects the presence of objects including other vehicles in proximity to the vehicle. In an automotive application, such a radar system can be used in conjunction with the braking system to aid in collision avoidance or in conjunction with the automobile cruise control system to provide intelligent speed and traffic spacing control. In a further application, the vehicle radar system provides a passive indication of obstacles to a driver of the vehicle on a display, and in particular, detects objects in a so-called blind spot of the vehicle.
In an effort to reduce the number and impact of blind spots, rear and side view mirrors of various sizes and types are typically mounted on the vehicle. While the use of mirrors helps reduce the number of blind spots on a vehicle, mirrors cannot eliminate all blind spots. Also, the view through mirrors degrades during conditions of rain, snow, or darkness.
Cameras mounted on the back and sides of a vehicle can also be effective in reducing blind spots. However, this approach is relatively expensive and at least a portion of the camera must be exposed to external elements. Also, the view through a camera degrades during severe weather (e.g. rain, show) and in darkness.